I Hate and Yet Love You
by lightning strikes 101
Summary: Hermione never thought that she could fall for Draco and neither did he think that he could fall in love with the mudblood. But when their jobs clash, will they have the strength to defy fate? J.K. owns all but the plot. Rated M just in case. :
1. Chapter 1

It was the second last day of school. They had received their awards and now the party of the year was being held.

There was food of every sort on the middle table. Drinks were served outside but for the first time in living history everyone ignored them. Everyone was dancing madly on the dance floor, looking like idiots.

Only one girl was not dancing. She sat away from the dancing on the furthermost seat of the table. She was looking down at her results and a tear escaped her eye. She had failed. She had received an E for Defence Against the Dark Arts, and now she would never be able to continue in her life long dream – to become an auror.

A sudden retching sound erupted Hermione Granger's thoughts.

The sound sickened her but a whine that soon followed it made her feel pity for whatever it was and so she stood up and went in search of the sound.

She crept along the Entrance Hall until upon reaching the entrance to the grounds where she froze. She quickly hid away behind a suit of armour for in the light spilling out of the Hall she could see Draco Malfoy lying on the ground, covered in his spew and Pansy Parkinson looking disgusted standing on top of him.

'You nearly spewed on my dress! And it's my favourite one! Don't you ever come near me again Malfoy! Especially when you're drunk!' she heard Pansy shout at him and then she simply left, passing Hermione back into the Great Hall.

Hermione hesitated.

_I should leave him here. He deserves it _she thought but then another voice whispered into her mind _but you can't leave him here! You should help him!_ The other voice quickly rebutted this idea. _He has never helped you before. Why should you help him now?_

Blocking out all of her thoughts Hermione stepped out and walked towards the now shivering Malfoy. She bent down and hauled him up despite his smell of puke. She wrapped her arm around his waist and began to drag him up the marble stairs towards the Hospital Wing.

_He's so… light_._ And his-_

Hermione stopped walking. She bent down and put her ear next to his mouth. She could have sworn that he had said something.

_Guess I was mistaken_.

When she got there she quickly knocked on the door and waited impatiently for Madam Pomfrey to unlock the door. When she finally did she took one look at his state and without a word helped Hermione over to a bed where they both dumped him onto.

Hermione stared down at Malfoy and thinking that it would help she said, 'I think he was drunk. I saw him outside with Parkinson and then she left so-'

'It's okay Miss Granger. I have it from here. You can go back and enjoy the party.'

Hermione left the Wing even though part of her wanted to stay and for some weird reason make sure that he was okay.

_I probably feel sorry for him, that's all_.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day everyone slept in late.

Except for Hermione.

She woke up at seven and after getting dressed and having some breakfast found herself walking down to the Wing.

When Madam Pomfrey opened the door she could tell that she was surprised to see her but she nevertheless let her in.

'How is he?' she asked, not even knowing why she cared.

'He's fine. He just had an overdose and only needs sleep.'

'Right,' she said and then not knowing what else to do she sat next to him while Madam Pomfrey left them.

* * *

Draco was awake and curious. He could tell that he was in the Hospital Wing but he didn't know how. He only remembered Pansy shouting at him and then feeling a warm hand leading him to somewhere before he had blacked out.

It_ must have brought you here you dolt!_

He suddenly heard a knock and closed his eyes, not wanting to talk or see anyone.

'How is he?' he heard Granger's voice say and relaxed.

_Hah! Weaselbee is here too!_

He suddenly felt movement close by and opened his eyes by a millimetre. Hermione was sitting next to him.

_Granger? What the hell is she doing?_ He was about to tell her off but instead he heard her get off and go.

_What the hell was that?_

After she had left he gladly opened his eyes to the light, pondering on her abrupt arrival.

'Ahhh…, you're awake! Excellent! Now I gave you some potions yesterday but I'm afraid that you'll have to take these too and-'

'I'm not taking anything!' he said fiercely, cutting her off.

'I'm sorry Mr Malfoy but you will!'

Draco glared at her with intense hate but he soon realised that she was not breaking under his stare.

'Fine!'

After drinking it all up he looked up to see Madam Pomfrey's satisfied smile.

'How did I get here?' he asked her, ignoring her smile and wanting some answers.

'Miss Granger found you after Miss Parkinson had left you Mr Malfoy. She led you here.'

'Granger?' he repeated nonplussed.

'Yes Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger. And trust me, if it hadn't been for her you'd probably be dead!'

'What? So now I owe her my life!? Get real! I don't owe her anything! She could've left me there! I never asked her to bring me here!'

Madam Pomfrey ignored him and began to tidy up the bed next to him, which was newly vacant.

'Why did Granger come here this morning? Did you ask her too?'

'No Mr Malfoy, she came here of her own accord now will you please rest!?'

He grumbled aloud before finally turning around and closing his eyes, but not his thoughts.

_Why did Granger help me? And why did she come back this morning? Did she expect a thankyou? Well, I'm not going to give her one!_


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione found Harry, Ron and Ginny outside under the beach trees

Hermione found Harry, Ron and Ginny outside under the beach trees.

She sat down next to them and closed her eyes.

_Why did I go? It must be because I feel sorry for him. Yeah, that's it! But still, I-_

'Hermione! Did you hear me?' Ron asked her, interrupting her thoughts.

'Wh-what?' she opened her eyes and found all three of them looking at her curiously.

'I said where did you go last night?'

'Oh, ummm, you see, I-'

'Were you thinking about your results?' Harry asked her.

Ron snorted aloud. 'Of course she was! You saw her before!' and he and Harry began laughing except for Ginny who was looking at Hermione curiously.

Draco walked down the corridor leading to the marble stairs. Madam Pomfrey had finally allowed him to leave and he was starving.

'Hermione! Wait up!' he heard a distant voice yell and then two pairs of footsteps began approaching him.

_Damn! Granger!_

Draco hid behind a suit of armour, not wanting to face her any time soon.

She came into view after a few seconds, walking straight at him and soon after that Ginny caught up to her.

He shrank himself more into the shadows, for extra precaution.

'Hermio-'

'WHAT?' he heard her yell back and she turned her back on him and faced Ginny.

'Hermione, what happened last night?'

'Nothing Ginny. I was as Ron said-'

'Hermione! I refuse to believe that! You brooding over your exams could not have made you so uptight! Something else happened! Just tell me!'

_Hah! She hasn't told anyone, not even her ickle boyfriend!_

'Ginny, just leave me alone! I don't want to talk!'

'Hermione, please understand me! I haven't seen you in this way since you were in second year. When Malfoy called you a mudblood.'

_I actually got to her?_

'Look, it's nothing like that; I just need time on my own,' she replied and she turned around, sped past his spot and vanished.

The next morning everyone boarded the train. Owls hooted in their cages, cats prowled around and Neville's toad could not be found anywhere.

Hermione walked down the train's corridor, her thoughts scrambling in her mind.

_I'm going. I won't ever see him again! I can forget about him and – but I can't_. Hermione knew that she would never be able to. The state that she had seen him in would always remain in her mind, his eyes that were downcast, hollow. His sweat mingled with vomit. But his feel, his body against her hands-

'Hermione, there you are! Come on!' she looked up and saw Ron poking his head through a compartment door.

'Coming,' she replied and walked forward, blocking off her thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

2 years had passed. Hermione looked out of her bedroom window and smiled before getting into bed. Everything was perfect. Harry was married to Ginny, Ron had proposed to her and they were all in a wonderful happily ever after.

Well, so they thought.

Draco watched the moon as its light glittered onto the lake outside his mansion. His life was almost perfect. He had a job that he loved, he had a mother that cared for him and spoilt him. He had friends and he was considered intimidating by others. That would have been enough except for the fact that he could not forget that night at Hogwarts.

_She woke up and looked into the cold grey eyes that were steadily changing to a beautiful __blue that glittered in the candlelight.  
'Hey sunshine,' the voice whispered into her ears and her heart fluttered with love and excitement. And then she was flying through the white clouds with him. They soared through the sky and across many countries._

_She laughed with joy as she watched birds begin to join with them on their journey._

_But__ then she was falling._

_And fast._

_She looked around for the man that would save her. That loved her._

_He wasn't there._

'_No! Where are you?! Help me!' she screamed out loud, her heart pounding loudly in her chest while the blood rushed up to her head.  
'DRACO!'_  
Hermione woke up in a start. She was in her bed and Ron was lying next to her.

'Are you okay Hermione?' he asked her groggily, barely keeping his eyes open.

Hermione looked up into his eyes and was met with the ever same brown eyes.

'Yeah. Just a nightmare,' she whispered.

Ron grunted but in the next second he had fallen back onto his pillow and had begun to snore.

Hermione remained awake. She was now looking up at the ceiling but finding no answers there she turned back to Ron's form and wrapped her arms around him, but there was no warmth radiating from his cold body.

Now she got up and walked around.

Where was it?

She needed it!

_What the bloody hell are you going on about?_ Her mind screamed at her but her heart led her to the balcony where she watched the far away stars glitter soundlessly.

'Where are you?' she whispered sadly.

* * *

Draco woke up with a start. Sweat beaded his forehead and he was shivering.

'Granger.'


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione's thoughts had not left her mind as she arrived at work the next day and she found it even harder than usual to concentrate on the patients that were under her care.

'Hermione, are you okay?' her friend Ellie asked her during their lunch break.

Hermione remained silent and did not answer Ellie's question.

'Hermione,' Ellie repeated, really beginning to worry about her friend. 'What's wrong?'

But Hermione did not yield. She remained silent until Ellie finally gave up on her.

Draco arrived at work that day as casually as he could – he did not want to raise questions. But throughout his work day a peculiar feeling began to grow in the pit of his stomach and it would not disappear. He tried to laugh it away, to force it away, to try and drink it away but it simply would not give up.

That night in bed he lay there confused and angry, his earlier dream forgotten.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

A knock to his bedroom door interrupted his thoughts. 'Enter,' he called out and his mother entered.

'Draco sweety. Are you okay? You seemed kind of tense today. Is anything bothering you?'

Draco smiled back at his mother and replied heavily, 'It's my stomach mother. It just feels…odd and I don't know what to do about it.'

His mother looked at him curiously before replying, 'I'm sorry dear, I don't know what you can do.'

They sat there together and after a while his mother started fidgeting.

Draco looked curiously at his mother. 'Is anything bothering you mother?'

'When are you going to marry Draco?' she suddenly asked.

Draco stood there shocked. That was the last of his worries.

His mother noticed his expression and quickly added, 'I'm growing old Draco and when I leave I want to know that you are happy with someone.'

'Mother! You aren't old! And you're NOT going to go soon! And anyway, there's no woman who could make me happy that's out there.'

Seeing the quizzical look upon her face he laughed and added, 'I'm a hard man. I'm not just going to fall in one's hand because she is pretty or smart. I have to love her, and I don't think that I can love anyone except for you mother.'

She laughed slightly at this.

'Just think about it Draco. Please.'

She stood up and left him to his thoughts which wandered yet again to his stomach.

Hermione returned home and was thankful that Ron had not arrived yet. She needed time on her own.

She took off her work clothes and slipped into her pyjamas, though it was only 6 in the afternoon.

She lay down on her bed and curled up under the covers.

_Just tell Ellie!_ Part of her mind screamed out loud but the other half would not allow her to.

_And anyway, what is there to tell?_ _I simply had a weird dream. That doesn't mean anything!_ She tried with all her might to convince herself of this fact but she failed miserably.

_I need him_ she whispered to herself.

_NEED WHO?_ Her mind yelled out and she whispered the words out loud.

'Draco'.

And then she froze as a memory flitted through her mind.

_Don't you ever come near me again Malfoy! Especially when you're drunk!_ And then there was her, picking him up and taking him to the hospital wing.

Hermione began to cry then.

What was wrong with her? And what had Malfoy got to do with it?


	6. Chapter 6

_Mr Malfoy, _

_The report that you sent me has helped me a great deal. But I would highly appreciate it if you would come by and clarify a few points to me._

_Yours sincerely_

_P. Greg_

Draco looked down upon the letter he had received from St. Mungo's Hospital. He worked at the Ministry of Magic at the Department of Incidents and after the man that had been attacked by his own wand was sent to St Mungo's he had sent a case to the healer Greg to help him with the injured man.

He put on a suit, combed his hair and after looking at the mirror for a brief moment turned around on the spot and apparated to the hospital.

Draco landed onto the ground floor of the hospital. He breathed a few mouthfuls of air before finally climbing the stairs to the fourth floor.

'Enter,' the voice behind the door said. Draco opened the door and found Greg speaking to a memo. After seeing Draco he sped away the memo and beckoned Draco to a seat.

'Now, I wanted to ask you about-'

'Sir, patient 4 is having-'

Hermione Granger froze in the doorway. The man that had been talking to her boss had turned around and it was Draco Malfoy. Her dream flitted past her mind and then a sudden picture entered her mind. Him dripping with sweat and puke, his eyes that had entranced her -'

'Yes Miss Granger?' Greg asked her curiously.

Hermione refocused and quickly stated the patient's need and then turned around and left them both breathing heavily, with one looking curiously at her while the other gaped at the place where she had been standing in.

_Granger! What is she doing here? Damn! It's probably her job! Now what am I going to do? Greg asked me back and I CANNOT stand to see her again!_

Draco's mind was in turmoil as he walked down the stairs.

He looked up as he neared the bottom and froze. There she was, standing at the bottom of the staircase, she too frozen.

They could do nothing but stare at each other and while they did they could not help noticing that each face was a bright crimson.

'H-hi,' he heard her whisper but he continued walking, head up and not taking a second glance back at her.

Hermione on the other hand was still frozen in her spot.

Once he passed her she broke down upon the floor. Why was he always there when she was leading a near normal life again?

It was a while before she finally lifted her feet and continued walking.

Hermione returned to the flat that she and Ron rent in a daze.

She did not say hello to Ron as she passed him in the kitchen and didn't even notice him looking at her in a most befuddled way.

That night Draco lay in his bed and tried to sleep but the memories of that day kept coming back.

He suddenly realised that the feeling that had been in his stomach had stopped, around morning.

_Thank you! But how did they stop?_


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning Draco made sure to apparate directly into Greg's office.

As he did so, Greg spilt the tea that he was drinking onto himself.

'Mr Malfoy!'

'I'm sorry about that Greg but I'm in a rush. Can we please finish this off quickly?'

_Never thought to be lying but I just can't see her! I can't!_

Throughout the meeting Draco only half heard what Greg was saying. The other half was squirming.

'I agree Greg.'

_What is wrong with me?_ And then another smaller voice replied cheekily_ you know what is wrong and you know what to do_.

'Yes,' he added to Greg, nodding his head.

_Maybe you should – NO! I can't! And I won't!_

'Yes Greg.'

After the meeting Draco apparated directly back to his home.

* * *

Hermione knocked on Greg's door.

'You called me sir?'

'Ah, yes Miss Granger. Mr Malfoy forgot to take this back. I would like you to return it if you wouldn't mind. I'd use an owl but they're all on duty.'

Without thinking she agreed.

_Wait! Did I just…?_

'Thankyou Miss Granger. Now if I am correct you have a free right now. You can still go and make it back before it finishes. Thank you. That was all.'

Hermione nodded, picked up the envelope and left his office, heading for the ground floor where the fireplaces were.

_What am I going to do? I can't just ignore what happened that night – or maybe I should. Oh, why did I say yes?!_

'The Sully's,' Hermione yelled into the fireplace and felt the familiar whoosh.

She landed in her friend's house which she knew by the letters that Sully had sent her was the closest house to the Malfoy Manor.

'Hermione? Is that you?' she heard a voice ask and she looked up to see her friend Sully looking curiously at her.

'Hi Sully,' she replied. 'Sorry about the short notice, but I have to go to Malfoy Manor and I'm not old enough to apparate and I'm in a rush and I can't-'

'Hermione! Relax! It's okay! Just go, but you have to come and visit me soon you know.'

'I know, thanks for understanding,' Hermione answered and quickly left.

_Why am I in a rush? Oh –whatever! Just get it over and done with!_

When she reached his house she froze at the sight of it. It was a murky grey, vines twisted themselves around the windows and just the sight of it sent shivers down her back.

She hesitantly walked forward and knocked with the silver knocker, which she let go of almost immediately. It was shaped like a serpents head with its mouth open, almost as if to eat her.

_Don't be silly! It's just a knocker!_

The door finally opened and the body of a man appeared.

* * *

Draco opened the front door and was astonished to find the woman that he had been thinking of right outside his home. But he hid his surprise from her. That was what he had been taught to do and it was about time that he did that.

'Yes?' he asked her coldly though his insides churned.

A small smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. She was squirming and he could tell that she was intimidated.

'Yes?' he repeated in an annoyed voice though he quite liked this.

'I – uh,' she cleared her throat and answered confidently, 'you left this behind. I was asked to bring it back,' and without even waiting for a reply, which she doubted would come she turned on her heels and left.

Draco watched her retreating body and sighed in relief when he could not see her anymore. He looked down upon the envelope that she had handed to him and relaxed. It held the papers that he had been looking for half an hour or so before.

Draco looked up curiously at the now disappeared woman.

_She's gone, just don't think about her_.

* * *

Hermione returned home after that, forgetting her work and just laid down on the coach.

_Why can't I just forget him? _He_ probably has_.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry about the wait everyone but i had a lot on my mind **

**Anyway, i hope you all enjoy this chapter - ive made it quite longer - and please review - id love to know what you think of this!**

**Enjoy :)**

The next few days went by in a haze for both Hermione and Draco, both of which could not forget that day.

Hermione woke up, irritated. As she opened her eyes she saw what the problem was. A sharp memo was tapping at her shoulder. She sighed before finally taking it and opening it up.

_Miss Granger,_

_It had been noticed that you had not returned to work after I had dismissed you and are yet 32 minutes late._

_I would like you to come immediately to my office if you consider your job important._

_Awaiting your return_

_P. Greg_

'Oh no,' she whispered and in a flash she was up, dressed and gone.

* * *

Draco was lying in bed and looking up at the ceiling of his room.

He looked sideways and noticed that the time was 8 past 7. He sighed before finally getting up and stretching.

He had an hour or so before he was due back to Mungo's for an hour before finally returning to his office at the Ministry.

He got up and walked towards the bathroom where he splashed himself with cold water.

As he looked back up at the mirror he froze. For a second he had seen Hermione's face staring back at him. He closed his eyes and when he opened them he relaxed when he saw that it was himself.

_Just tell her! Get it over and done with!_ The little voice replied cheekily as he made his breakfast.

_NO!_ He thought. _I have my pride to think about!_

As he made his way to Greg's office he knew that he had to thank her. His mind had not let him rest from morning.

Once he left Greg's office he went in search of her. After looking through the second and third floor he finally saw her at the end of the fourth floor.

She had her back to him and that he was thankful for.

He quickly ran up to her, put his hand on top of her mouth to stop her from screaming and dragged her into an empty room.

When he finally let her go she whipped around to face him, ready to attack but when she saw him she just stood there, transfixed to the spot.

Draco looked at her but could not say a thing. After a while she whispered, 'what are you doing Malfoy?'

He still could not answer her for his mouth had gone dry.

Hermione, getting bored began to turn away but he pulled her back to him.

'Malfoy, let go of-'

'CRUCIO!'

'AVADA KEDAVRA!'

Both Hermione and Draco froze for they had both heard the curses that were being shouted from outside.

Draco, forgetting that he was holding Hermione, apparated directly back to his home.

They landed in the kitchen, where their chef was cooking a meal. He took one look at them and left, muttering about needing some butter.

They stood in that way until Draco finally realised that he was holding her. He quickly let go of her and she stumbled back, banging into a table.

Hermione winced from the pain as she banged into the table. After standing up straight again she tried to reach the area where she was sure a bruise had formed but could not reach it. Giving up she looked up.

Seeing Draco she said a hurried thankyou and tried to leave but the door slammed into her face and she heard the lock click.

_Great! I left my wand in my office! This is just GREAT!_

She turned around to see him holding his wand out.

'Let me go,' she whispered fiercely, although her insides were shaking.

'No,' he replied. 'I have to do something first.'

* * *

He saw fear flicker through her eyes and relaxed.

'What do you want with me?' she asked him.

He just looked at her frightened eyes and finally whispered shame facedly a small thankyou.

Hermione looked at Malfoy, confused.

'What for?' she asked him.

Draco stared into her eyes and finally answered.

'For that night at Hogwarts. I probably would have died if it were not for you.'

He saw a small smile on her face and cursed himself.

'Thankyou,' she finally replied.

Now Draco was confused. 'Why did you say thankyou?'

Hermione simply smiled and turned around.

'Can you unlock this door please?'

He waved his wand and the door unlocked and opened up.

She walked off without saying a word.

After that day they both finally lived a peaceful life.

* * *

_To Miss Granger and Mr Weasley,_

_We are inviting you back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for a reunion party_.

_We would strongly appreciate it if you joined us_.

_It will be held the following Saturday at 6 pm_.

_Wishing you a wonderful weekend_

_Professor McGonagall_

'This is awesome,' Ron yelled out punching the air. 'I can't wait to see Dean and Seamus again!'

Hermione on the other hand hesitated, but a second later that feeling went as Ron grabbed her and swung her around the room.

* * *

Draco looked at the letter that he had received.

_Great_ he thought. _A bloody party with Potter!_

At 5:30 the following Saturday Hermione exited her room and entered the living room where Ron was. One look at her and he was gaping like a goldfish. She had worn a beautiful dress. It was a green and flowed around her like magic. She had straightened her hair and it now lay softly on her bare shoulders.

Laughing, she walked over to him, put her arm round his and walked to the car.

'Dean! Seamus! Over here!' Ron yelled out, letting go of Hermione and running towards his old mates.

Hermione looked around and spotted Ginny, whom she walked towards.

Draco entered the castle sulkily. He looked around and saw laughing friends and couples.

A beautiful scene that would have made anybody smile except for Draco who just walked in and ignored the stares that followed him.

3 hours had passed. Luckily he hadn't Potter, Weaslebee or – thank god – Granger.

He went to the bath room to evade Pansy who had clung on to him throughout the night, acting as though they still had a relationship.

As he walked out he passed a beautiful looking witch who was walking to the girls' bathroom.

He had never seen her before but honestly – who cares?

All throughout the rest of the night he watched her back. She hung around the Gryffindors mostly but did eventually talk to some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs.

Finally he saw her walk away with Ron.

_Hah! He's cheating on Granger! I should tell her! Wait! Why should I? Oh whatever!_

He followed her into the Entrance Hall and into the grounds outside.

He hid in the shadows and waited for her to be by herself.

After a while he saw her backing away from him. He leaned closer to see what was happening and noticed that Ron was trying to kiss her and that she didn't want to.

_I don't blame her_._ Who would want to? Except maybe for Granger, but honestly!_

Ron, not taking it in that she didn't want to kiss him continued to try.

Draco, imagining him to be a hero walked up to them and punched Ron who stumbled back onto the ground and lay there, unconscious.

He turned around to see – Hermione.

_Whoops_

'Malfoy?!'

'H-i.'

'Why did you do that?'

'I, well you see-'

'Malfoy! Why did you-?'

'Firstly, I didn't even know that it was you! Secondly, you weren't exactly managing him were you?'

'No-but'

'You should be thankful-!'

She ran away at that moment. She ran away from both of them, not even looking back.

Draco pursued her. He would not let her get away without her thanking him.

He caught up to her just outside the Entrance Hall and caught her waist.

He turned her around and she landed onto his chest.

Both of them froze.

'What do you want Malfoy?' she asked him, her patience fading fast.

'I want you to thank me-'

'THANK _YOU_! For what?'

'I just saved you from-'

'DROP IT MALFOY!'

'HERMIONE! YOU-'

'What did you call me?' she whispered, breaking him off.

'I called you Granger and-'

'No you didn't Draco!'

'Now who's calling the other by their first name?'

'Oh shut up,' she said, beginning to laugh.

'Why are you laughing?' he asked her.

_Her laugh! Her- Shut it!_

Hermione just kept laughing.  
Suddenly she felt his warm lips on her mouth and froze.

She suddenly pulled back and she could tell that he was just as puzzled by his own behaviour as she was.

'Draco, what was that?'

This time he ran for it. She watched his retreating back and knew that he would not come back.

She sighed before walking back to Ron who was still lying on the ground.

'Hey, you,' she whispered, prodding him on his stomach.

His eyes opened a millimetre before finally letting out a groan and sitting up.

'Wasup?' he mumbled, feeling his head.

'Can we go back?'

'Back where?'

'Home you dolt,' she whispered.

He looked at her curiously before finally speaking.

'What happened Hermione?'

'Nothing, I just feel a bit – off, that's all.'

'Sure,' he said and he got up, then he and Hermione walked away.

When they arrived at their home Ron started talking animatedly about all their past friends and laughed and sang while Hermione just sat there, smiling at Ron while really her mind was recounting the night.

'Hermione, come on,' he said and pulled her up and began dancing with her.

Hermione looked at Ron and a tear escaped her eyes.

_Oh Ron, why can't you ask? I want to tell you but I can't on my own_. _Can't you be just a bit more caring?_

* * *

Draco apparated directly into his room.

_Why the HELL did I kiss her? Have I gone mad?_

_You know why_ the tiny voice whispered back.

_No I don't _he replied back and just dumped himself onto his double bed and fell asleep.

The next day Ron went back to work but Hermione asked for a day off.

Hermione watched his retreating back and smiled sadly.

She knew that he wouldn't even ask her why she had asked for the day off.

_Pull yourself together! _She thought. _Just do what you need to do and don't worry about anything else!_

* * *

Draco asked for a day off as well. He had nothing to do but he just needed to think things over.

He was in the shower when he heard a knock form downstairs.

_Great! The day I want to be alone someone comes!_

He quickly pulled on his clothes, dried them with a spell and ran downstairs.

He opened the door and swore out loud.

It was Hermione.


	9. Chapter 9

** i'd love it if you gave me any kind of feedback ... :) Enjoy (PS. I hope the length of hte chapters are getting better!)**

'What do you want?' he asked her hurriedly.

'Can I come in?' she asked him quietly, not answering his question.

Draco replied a vehement no.

Hermione looked at him and sighed.

'Fine. I just want to know why you-'

'Shoosh!' he yelled out, cutting her off and dragged her inside.

He led her to the back of his home where he knew that hardly anyone went.

Hermione looked around her and shivered with dread.

The vines and the coldness of the manor were purposefully done, that she could tell.

'Do you like it?' he asked her and smirked. He knew that it frightened her and he liked that. It made her look..._No!_

She hesitated before finally asking again, 'why did you kiss me Malfoy?'

'You don't need to know why,' he answered simply.

'Malfoy, I'm engaged!'

Here Draco snorted.

'And what is so funny?' Hermione demanded.

'Let me guess,' he answered. 'You're engaged with Weasley?'

'Yes I am and I do not see how that is funny Malfoy!'

Draco shook his head while laughing.

'And why are you shaking your head now?' Hermione asked him impatiently.

'Why would you want Weasley, Granger? Are you that desperate?'

'Excuse me?'

Draco smirked. 'I wonder. Did he ask you why you took a day off?' he asked her beginning to creep closer to her. 'Will he ever?' he continued, walking around her slowly while whispering in her ear: 'Does he care about you? Want to know everything about you because he loves you with all his heart? Does he want to sacrifice himself for you Granger?'

He saw a tear fall down her cheeks and laughed.

'I thought so,' he said and he walked back to his former position.

'You don't know anything Malfoy!' she yelled at him, her voice beginning to choke with tears, and she took out her wand and aimed a curse at him.

Draco easily deflected it.

'Is that all that the so called brightest witch of her age can do? Honestly Granger!'

'SHUT UP MALFOY!' she yelled at him.

Tears began to pour down her cheeks. He couldn't bear it.

He walked over to her, aiming to wipe off her tears but then caught himself.

Instead he took her wand from her limp hand and just stood there.

Hermione finally gathered herself up and looked up at Malfoy.

'I hate you Draco,' she whispered fiercely and then she stalked past him, grabbing her wand from his limp hand.

Draco looked at her retreating back and for some reason he felt guilt enter his heart.

Hermione stormed down the road that led to his Manor.

When she arrived back at her place she had a shower and fell asleep.

* * *

A few hours passed until Ron returned home. He found Hermione on their bed and nudged her awake.

'Hey, is dinner ready?'

Hermione looked at Ron and knew that Malfoy's words were true which made her hate him even more.

'I didn't get time to do it. I'm sorry Ron,' she whispered.

Ron smiled at her before finally asking, 'can you do something now? I'm starving!'

Hermione got up and walked over to the kitchen.

* * *

Hermione looked at Ron while they ate.

Finally she asked him something that she needed an answer to.

'Ron,' she murmured.

'Mmmm?' he replied, his mouth full of food.

'Why do you like me?'

Ron looked up curiously. 'Why?' he asked her.

'Just wondering,' she answered.

'Well,' he answered, swallowing his bite, 'you're smart, beautiful, clever-'

'Ron, that's the same thing as being smart!'

'Ron shrugged his shoulders, 'you get the point,' he answered.

Hermione smiled at him but she felt empty inside, Draco's words re-entering her mind.

* * *

Draco went back to work the next day and acted the same as ever.

At lunch he walked over to his mates and sat down.

'How was the reunion?' one of them asked him.

'Boring,' he replied.

He changed the subject then, not wanting to recount anything to his mates.

* * *

Hermione took off the next day off work again, this time just to relax and think things over.

She walked over to her room after she waved Ron off and opened her treasure box that was hidden from Ron by a protective spell.

Inside she found her diary amidst many photos.

She skimmed through her diary but then put it down.

She got up and turned on the radio.

'That was The Three Witches playing their-'

She turned that off too.

She wandered around her house, not finding anything that she could do within it.

At 4 past 3 she made dinner and waited for Ron, not having anything else to do.

When Ron entered the house he smiled at her when he saw the dinner.

'Thanks Hermione, you're an angel.'

He sat down and began to eat, not saying another word until he had finished.

* * *

Hermione received a memo while she had her lunch break the next day.

Hermione nearly bolted into his office.

Greg looked up and smiled.

'I see you got my letter Miss Granger. I'm thinking that you want to do it?'

'Of course I want to sir and thank you so much for the opportunity!'

'Relax Hermione,' he answered, laughing.

'I just need you to take this, read it and sign it. It will explain everything.'

'Yes sir,' she replied.

That night Hermione told Ron the news.

'It's like a course and it will help me go higher and enable me to do more. I'm also working with a partner so we'll be able to help each other out.'

'Cool,' Ron replied but a second later he returned to his food.

Hermione smiled sadly and reread the contract.

An hour before work had begun Hermione left for work.

She headed to Greg's office immediately with the contract.

'I want to do it sir,' she told him excitedly.

'That's excellent! Did you sign?'

'Yes sir, here it is,' and she handed the contract over.

'Do you have any questions?'

'No sir. I just want to meet my partner as soon as possible so that we can start on it.'

'You'll have to wait a day or so. The Department is still choosing your partner.'

* * *

Draco entered the office of his boss.

'You called me John?'

'Yes, please sit down Draco.'

'Now, we have a case that we think you might want to do.'

Draco nodded, 'go on sir,' he replied.

* * *

As he got up from his chair he walked over to the door.

'Just one more thing Draco,' John added.

Draco turned around curiously.

'You will have a partner to help you with this.'

'I'm fine with that John.'

'This person is highly thought of and her boss would only recommend her.'

'I understand.'

'Her name is Hermione Granger.'

_Shit!_


	10. Chapter 10

**I know it's long and abrupt but I kinda got bored following through this slowly.**

**Anyway, please review! I'd love to know what you think of this so far.**

* * *

Hermione arrived at the Contor Palace and knocked on the door.

A small man opened it and greeted her.

'You must be Miss Granger!'

'Yes sir,' she replied excitedly.

'Come in, come in. It's right through here.'

They walked up some stairs into a perfectly white room.

'My name is Alfred Winfred and if you need anything don't be afraid to call. You partner will be arriving soon and-'

A knock was heard form downstairs.

'Ah – here he is,' he added and walked out of the room.

A minute or so later she heard noises outside.

Suddenly the door opened and there was Alfred with – Draco.

_Great!_

'I'm assuming that you know what to do and so I'll leave you to it,' Alfred said in the silence and then left, closing the door behind him.

'I guess we should start,' he said and walking forward grabbed a few ingredients and went to the table in the centre where he opened the jars up and spilt them.

Hermione walked over to where he stood and watched what he was doing and soon joined in.

At first she was wary but after a while her love of work took over her mind and she began to enjoy herself.

'Can't you just stop skipping for a moment Granger?' Draco finally asked her exasperatedly. He had been watching her skip around to where ever the ingredients she needed were with a big smile on her face for the past half hour that it began to piss him off.

She turned around and he froze as the smile that she gave him was so genuine and lovely that he could not stop and look at how it lit her face with a radiant light.

'I don't think so, no,' she replied genuinely and she turned back and skipped away to the cupboard.

_What the hell was that?! Focus Draco! Focus!_ He mentally yelled at himself but stopped just as soon as she skipped back to her place next to him.

'Here's the flobberworm,' she said happily and passed it over to his trembling fingers.

'Umm, are you okay Draco?' she added, concern etched into her face.

_Snap out of it! You're a Malfoy for Pete's sake!_

'What does it look like _mudblood_! Of course I'm fine!'

He suddenly winced as all the happiness drained out of her face and instead of anger (which would have been preferable) there was hurt and shock printed clearly on her face.

And then she walked a few steps away to a separate bench where she continued working on her own.

Draco apparated directly into his room that night and simply slumped onto his bed.

He didn't know what to think.

Why had he frozen as she had turned and _why_ had he trembled as she walked closer to him??

And she had called him Draco. That had scared him the most. She had said his name and had asked if he was okay!

But why?

Had she forgotten all those years when he had called her a mudblood and jibed at her parentage and intelligence? Had she forgotten the previous days? Or had she forgotten her hate towards him and moved on?

_And what about me?_

_Am I still living in the past?_

But a moment later he nearly yelled out in frustration. When had everything changed and why? Couldn't she just have continued hating him and him her?

_What's wrong with this world?_

* * *

But after a few days he realised that he actually liked a certain mudblood who was smart, clever, kind (when he acted civil towards her), witty, fun and quite pretty too.

Must he mention her name?

'Hermione Granger,' Draco whispered to noone in particular that night as he lay on his bed to sleep.

* * *

As he opened the door the next day he wasn't surprised to see her already there.

'Can you start on the verito Malfoy?' she said, not looking up but continuing to mix the contents of the cauldron.

He nodded and walked to the cupboard.

As he turned away he quickly stole glance her way.

She was bent over and her hair covered her face. He had a sudden urge to remove it to see her face.

He quickly shook his thoughts in order and walked to his seat.

An hour passed and Draco found himself ignoring his work and looking across at Hermione frequently.

As he did this the eighth time Hermione looked up at the same time.

'What is it Malfoy?' she asked him as if nothing out of the normally was happening.

Malfoy was silent for a moment before asking warily, 'Why were you acting as if we were friends yesterday?'

Hermione was silent for a moment before replying, 'I think I was just caught up with work which made me forget… everything.'

He nodded and then unconsciously walked towards her but he grimaced as she froze and backed away.

'What do you want Malfoy?' she asked him warily, now on her guard.

'I-'

At that moment Alfred walked in.

He walked towards them and looked down at Hermione's cauldron.

'You're already up to the 3rd stage? Amazing.'

Both Draco and Hermione beamed with pride.

'But now comes the difficult part. You know of course what the next ingredient is?'

Hermione straight away answered him.

'It's the leaves of fiorie…' and then she faltered, understandment dawning on her face.

'What is it?' Draco asked her, confused as to why Hermione had faltered.

'It can't be stored,' she replied disappointed.

'And what do you mean by that Granger?' he asked her, now at a complete loss.

'It means that we have to collect it first hand,' she replied and she looked at Alfred for confirmation who nodded his head sadly.

'Then let's go already,' Draco answered and then as a second thought crossed his mind he asked. 'Where is it?'  
Hermione looked at him sadly and replied a heavy, 'Emargio.'

Hermione began scribbling a note to Ron, hastily explaining where she was going to, why as well as the fact that she did not know how long she was going to be there for.

'Hurry up Granger,' Draco called from the doorway impatiently, acting as before so as to not create any suspicion.

Hermione shot him a look of annoyance and returned to her note where she simply signed her name.

_Hermione__  
_Draco had walked over to look over her shoulder.

'No "love from",' he whispered, sneering. This was territory that he was familiar with.

Hermione looked around at Draco and he could see the hurt in her eyes.

She quickly tied it to the owl there which took off into the morning sky and did not say a word.

Alfred came in at that moment and smiled at the two.

We have just finished packing for you two. Everything is in this bag,' he said and he held up a black coloured backpack.

'Thankyou,' Hermione replied and she took it from him.

'Remember, it is a dangerous place and you'll have to do everything together. Understood?'

'Yes,' they both replied and he nodded happily and left them there.

Draco smirked at the awkwardness that had fallen between them.

'Well come on then Granger. I don't want to waste time and he walked forward, grabbed her by the waist and apparated to the outskirts of Emargio.

As they landed and Draco let go of Hermione's frail waist he began to smirk as he saw her cheeks turn a bright red with embarrassment.

'Well, it's just you and me now Granger,' he whispered seductively in her ear and he laughed as her blush deepened.

'Come on,' he added and he grabbed her hand and led her into the forest in front of them.

Hermione walked with Draco into the forest and she nearly screamed out loud for as they entered the forest the trees turned into a wall behind them and all the sunlight was blocked out.

But she contained herself. She did not scream, only clung onto Draco tighter.

Draco turned back to look at her and smiled encouragingly.

'It's alright,' he whispered and she looked up into his grey eyes that contained warmth and…something else.

A sudden high pitched wail came from deep within the forest and she heard Draco wince as her nails dug into his skin.

'Hermione, it's alright. I'm here for you.' He said.

* * *

Draco winced as she clung tighter to his arm.

'Hermione, it's alright. I'm here for you.' He said. Having a sudden desire to protect her from everything.

They kept walking together, further into the forest, both silent.

As they did Draco was contemplating silently.

He knew he liked her, he wasn't stupid, but he just didn't understand why.

But as they suddenly heard a twig break behind them he shoved his thoughts away, Hermione's safety becoming his number one concern.

Hermione heard a twig break behind them and froze.

She suddenly felt Draco's arm around hers and push her back behind him.

'What are you-?'

'Shhhh,' he whispered, cutting her off and looking around them warily.

An arrow suddenly flew next to Hermione's face, missing her by a centimetre.

'Duck!' Draco yelled and he pushed her to the ground and fell on top of her. He quickly turned around and, he didn't know why he hadn't thought of this before, he whipped out his wand and placed a shield around them.

They were safe.

He turned back around to Hermione.

'Why?' she finally whispered curiously.

Draco did not answer.

He knew he liked her but he was sure that she didn't like him as anything more than a friend.

'We better keep moving,' he finally said and he got up and walked off, though he would've liked to help her up.

After a few more seconds he turned around again, she had not followed him.

But what he saw scared him more than anything else.

A man had captured her and had placed against her fragile throat a sharp, dirty knife.

'Move, I kill,' he said hoarsely, pressing the knife harder against her throat.

He heard Hermione whimper and it was as if it awoke a monster deep within him.

'Let her go,' he whispered menacingly, taking a step forward, which stopped abruptly as the knife cut into Hermione's skin and she let out a gasp of pain.

'LET HER GO!' he yelled out fearfully.

The man grinned and began walking away; dragging Hermione with him but Draco would not let him.

'NOOOO! LEAVE HER ALONE!' he bellowed out and in the next moment his wand was out and the man fell down heavily to the ground, dragging Hermione with him.

Draco ran forward and grabbed her out of the man's filthy hands, and out of reach of the knife.

But a second later she had begun to cry into his chest and Draco wrapped his arms around her.

'Shhhhh', he whispered and he began stroking her.

They found a stretch of ground that night to make camp in and Draco straight away placed protective spells all around it, making sure that Hermione would be safe that night.

As he finished he turned to face her and his breath caught in his throat at her beauty.

He walked over and sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her shaking body.

'Hey, it's okay,' he whispered but she didn't say a word and looked away.

He held her face then and turned it slowly around so that she was finally looking at him.

'Hermione, I won't let anything harm you. I promise.'

Hermione watched as he said these words and she knew that he wasn't lying but it just made everything worse and so she got up and walked over to stand next to a tree.

She heard him get up and cursed his persistence.

'Hermione?' he whispered cautiously, placing a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off.

Draco's heart broke as she shrugged away his hand and he turned around back to the fire, only to freeze again.

The man was there again, with twenty others.

He walked back to Hermione and stood in front of her.

He felt her stiffen then and she slowly turned around to look over his shoulder.

* * *

'Your magic no harm us stupid man,' she heard the man say to Draco and a torrent of hate flowed through her.

_How dare he call him stupid?_

'What do you want with us?' Draco asked them angrily. 'We haven't done anything wrong-'

'Her,' the man said hungrily, cutting him off and pointing a finger at Hermione who shrank into Draco for protection

'You can't have her,' Draco replied fiercely.

The man laughed out loud at this and began walking forward.

Draco watched the man walk forward and utmost hate and anger flowed through him.

He suddenly turned around to the frightened Hermione and whispered in her ear: 'Run Hermione, don't come back no matter what you hear, understand?'

She shook her head and clung onto him tighter.

'I'm not leaving you with these men Draco,' she said fiercely but he shook her shoulders then.

'NO! You're not staying here!' he said but at that moment Hermione screamed out loud and Draco turning, felt a blow to his cheek.

The man then continued on to Hermione.

'NOOOO!' Draco yelled out and he got up to attack the man but he felt the other men grab him and push him to the ground.

'GET OFF ME!' and he swiveled around and began to attack them but they were stronger and more powerful then he, laughing as they pinned him to the ground.

Hermione screamed out loud as the man reached her and his eyes scared her, for they were full of hunger and lust.

'Come girly. Come with me,' he whispered huskily.

At that moment Draco punched him straight to the ground where he lay there unconscious.

She looked around him and saw the other men that had attacked him also spread out onto the ground.

She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

'Let's go,' he said while rushing back to the campfire and picking up the backpack.

He then rushed back, grabbed her hand and they ran away into the darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry about the wait guys! But it's here now :)**

**Anyway, please, please, PLEASE review and tell me what you think of this chapter - enjoy :)**

They ran through the forest for what seemed like hours until Hermione finally stopped to catch her breath.

'I think we've lost them,' she muttered while taking in lungfuls of air in-between every word.

'You okay?' he asked her quietly and she nodded.

'Just slightly out of breath, that's all,' she said but the next second found her clinging onto Draco's neck as he had grabbed her into his arms and was now walking.

'What are you doing?' she asked him confused.

'Well, I personally do _not_ think that we've lost them,' he muttered. 'And anyway,' he added. 'I kinda like this, don't you? He asked her, now smirking at her obvious embarrassment.

Hermione did not answer but after a few more minutes she whispered, 'I can walk now Draco.'

He looked down at the girl he was carrying and smiled gently.

'It's not as if you're heavy Hermione,' he whispered and he kept on walking, never relinquishing his hold on her.

* * *

As the hours passed Hermione eventually fell asleep.

Draco looked down upon the sleeping Hermione in his arms and smiled inwardly.

She was so beautiful and peaceful, and the most beautiful thing (in Draco's opinion) was that she was clinging onto _him_. Not the Weasley but him, Draco Malfoy, the man that had tortured her in Hogwarts but for some weird, unknown reason, now loved the woman.

* * *

Hermione woke up as she heard Draco's voice next to her ear whispering, 'We're here Hermione.'

She turned around and gasped in surprise.

'Well, at least I think we're here,' he added.

She simply nodded her head while she looked around at her surroundings in amazement.

Right smack in the middle of the clearing was a mirror.

But it was no ordinary mirror. Firstly, the air around it was not normal, it breathed of magic and life, colouring the plainness and dullness of the land around it with life.

Secondly, the mirror itself did not reflect the life around it.

It buried itself in other peoples' past, clutching at their fears and turning them into their nightmares, forcing them to forget the truth that was around it.

Thirdly, the mirror was carved out of a shimmering blue liquid that had no form, simply moving gently around the mirror's corners.

'Where's the thing that we need?' he whispered, still carrying Hermione in his arms.

She got out of his arms then (he kept holding onto her waist) and walked forward.

'The mirror has it.'

She turned around and smiled at his confused face.

'Here, I'll show you,' she said and she gently pried his fingers off her waist and walked forward.

When she reached the mirror she stilled, turning literally into a statue.

'Hermione,' he whispered fearfully but he knew better than to interrupt whatever was happening.

Hermione was smart; she knew what she was doing.

But after a moments silence Hermione crippled to the floor.

'HERMIONE!' he yelled out but by that time he was already running forward to her fainted form.

'Hermione, wake up!' he yelled out, falling roughly to the floor and shaking her awake.

'Draco,' she whispered and he sighed out in relief.

'Look in the mirror,' she added and after a moment of heavy breathing she slumped back onto the ground.

Draco stood up slowly, finally turning around to face the menace.

_I see into your heart young Malfoy_ he heard it whisper and he was, like Hermione, struck with magic that was beyond him, magic that bound him into a frozen picture.

_Your father would not like this_ it continued and Draco inwardly shivered.

A picture had formed on the mirror's surface and he watched in horror as it formed into Lucius Malfoy.

And then they were alone in a black expanse that had no ending and no beginning.

And Lucius was circling him, wand in hand.

_Draco, Draco, Draco. Have you forgotten all that I've taught you?_ _He whispered and the Malfoy smirk was plastered on his face while Draco cowered beneath it._

_Have you forgotten your punishment?_

_And then Draco was an 11 year old again and his father was beating him again while his mother wept in the corner._

_Have you forgotten what happens to those who __let a mudblood overpower them?_

_He was 13 years old and __Lucius was now whipping his fragile form, yelling at how he had let Hermione punch him_ _while his mother was pulling at his father's arms, trying to pull him away from Draco._

_Draco, Draco, Draco, what an embarrassment you have been to the Malfoy name. And instead of taking responsibility for your actions you let your mother take them, how disappointing._

_And now he was crying and yelling at his father to stop while his mother was screaming as the crucio curse was being placed on her already thin body._

_And now you have fallen in love with a filthy mudblood._

'She's not a filthy-'

_Enough! His father yelled at him and Draco was pinned down to the ground while Lucius' full anger was unleashed on Draco._

_Draco screamed out loud as the curses hit him but no one heard him. _

_And gradually he felt his body begin to weaken as the pain increased, as his yells increased in volume._

_You're going to die Draco and _no one_ is going to give a crap_.

_Draco's head began to cloud up in black clouds and his mind became unfocused until a moment of the past came back to his mind._

_Hermione turned __around, hair flying behind her in gentle waves while she gave Draco a smile that was genuine and pure, filled with happiness and contentment. It lit her face with a radiant light that replaced all of Draco's pain with light._

_And then he stood up, facing his father with a glare._

_You have no control over me anymore_ father. _I love Hermione Granger and you can never take that away from me like you did with my mother!_

And then he was standing in the forest, facing a mirror that had begun to shiver.

And Draco watched in amazement as it broke into millions of pieces that disappeared into thin air as a few petals fell from its heart.

Draco ran to catch them but as his body moved he fell down in excruciating pain as the curses that his father had placed upon him came into being.

He reached out and grabbed the petals with shaking hands, placing them into his pocket.

He then walked up to Hermione and shook her gently, willing her to awaken.

_Come on, wake up_ he thought weakly, having no strength to actually say it out loud.

She woke up then and looked up groggily at Draco.

'Draco, did you get-?' She cut her sentence off as she looked up properly at the man standing on top of her.

'Draco, what happened?' she asked him fiercely, standing up straight, the better to help him but he shook his head and pushed her away.

'We have to go,' he whispered. 'I have it…' but he took a shattering breath here and then vomited.

'DRACO!' she yelled out in surprise.

But a moment later her logic returned and she whipped out her wand, a fierce expression printed on her face.

'I wasn't the brightest witch of my age for no reason,' she muttered quietly to no one in particular and she stood up and in a second she cleared up the mess on the ground and in another second Draco too was clear of his vomit.

In the next moment she had conjured out of thin air a stretcher and levitated the now unconscious Draco onto it.

And then she knelt down on the ground and concentrated with all her might on a single word – Amargio, while picturing in her thoughts a very clear picture of Draco.

She began to sweat and yet nothing happened.

_Focus _she mentally yelled at her mind and so she did.

She pictured moments with Draco and inwardly smiled at them.

'_Well, it's just you and me now Granger,' he whispered seductively in her ear and he laughed as her blush deepened_.

_  
'Duck!' Draco yelled and he pushed her to the ground and fell on top of her. He quickly turned around and whipped out his wand and placed a shield around them._

'_NOOOO! LEAVE HER ALONE!' he bellowed out and in the next moment his wand was out and the man fell down heavily to the ground, dragging Hermione with him._

_She had begun to cry into his chest and Draco wrapped his arms around her, 'Shhhhh', he whispered and he began stroking her._

'_Hermione, I won't let anything harm you. I promise.'_

'_You can't have her,' Draco replied fiercely to the man._

'_Run Hermione, don't come back no matter what you hear, understand?'_

'_And anyway,__ I kinda like this, don't you? He asked her, now smirking._

_She did not answer but after a few more minutes she whispered, 'I can walk now Draco.'_

_He looked down at her and smiled gently._

'_It's not as if you're heavy Hermione,' he whispered and he kept on walking, never relinquishing his hold on her._

As Hermione pictured these moments in her head her heart gave her a painful jolt as she finally realised that _she loved him.  
_And then it came, slowly from the tip of her wand, forming into a beating heart that floated in the middle of the air.  
But as it appeared the magic that she had conjured began to drain her off power and she fell to the ground as it continued to grow, never ceasing its eating of her heart.  
But she never relinquished the images of Draco from her mind and they gave her the strength to stand up again.  
But she was now covered in bruises and had gone considerably thinner. But she did not give herself a rest. She instantly got up and muttered thousands upon thousands of spells to enlarge it and to create it into a shimmering blue light that morphed into a sphere that encircled the unconscious Draco and herself, the only way, she knew, that would give them any chance to escape this cursed forest.

She lastly pointed her wand at the stretcher that contained Draco and made it move automatically with her steps.

And finally she began to walk forward, more exhausted and impaired than any other time in her life.

And to make things worse, the men had returned.

They stepped in front of her and she stopped, the stretcher stopping an inch behind her.

'Leave,' she ordered but they laughed cruelly and shot a spear at the sphere, aiming at her heart but she was thankful for it disintegrated, having no effect at all to the magic in front of them.

'That'll teach you,' she muttered and she stalked past the men who were staring incredulously at her magic.

They finally reached the outskirts of the forest and she gladly removed the sphere from existence.

She then touched Draco's arm and, heaving a last amount of effort apparated to their lab.

* * *

'Alfred!' she called out in desperation but no one answered.

'Great,' she muttered and she sat down, breathing heavily.

'Hermione?' she heard the man beside her ask and she jumped in surprise.

A deep laugh erupted from Draco but she paid no attention to it. Instead she got up and threw herself onto him, hugging him as if her life depended on it.

He didn't answer but returned her embrace, never wanting to let go of the woman he loved.

'You're safe,' he heard her sigh in relief and he smiled inwardly, his insides jumping up and down in pure delight and ecstasy.

But then another matter arose.

'Hermione?' he asked her warily.

'Yeah?' she replied, only now letting go of him.

She noticed him then looking down and up her body and she became very self-conscious

'What?' she asked him again and she noticed the concern etched into the frown he was giving her.

'Why are you so _thin_? And why are you _hurt_?' he demanded angrily.

'Well-'

'Did they-'

'Yes, but they couldn't hurt us. The spells I cast worked. It-'

'What?' he asked her bewildered. 'There was a spell that worked?'

Hermione's cheeks were now red and she was looking down onto the floor.

'I said _spells_ Draco, not _spell_.'

'Which ones did you use then?' he asked her impatiently.

'Amargio,' she whispered abashed. 'And quite a few others.'

'Amargio,' he whispered and then he ran delighted towards her and gently shook her shoulders.

'Hermione,' he whispered. 'You had to love a person for that spell to work. You-'

'There are other ways too you know,' she whispered. She was lying, she knew that, but she just couldn't let him now.

And then he froze.

'Other ways,' he whispered and then she watched guiltily as his face contorted with anger.

He yelled out and kicked at a chair that was lying close to him.

'Draco,' she pleaded but he shoved her away and stomped out of the room in a hurry, mentally cursing the man that she still loved – Weasley.

* * *

The next day they continued their work as usual except for the fact that Draco was acting like an arrogant bastard again.

'Granger, just give me the damn potion! I don't care what you think!' he snapped at her when she tried to hold back the potion that she knew would stuff up everything.

'No Draco! If you add this the entire project would have been for a waste! I'm not going to-'

Draco cut her off with a thunderous yell and stomped forward aggressively. He grabbed the potion from her hands and pushed her roughly onto the ground, forgetting how fragile she had become.

She yelled out loud as she began to fall.

And when her head collided with the ground there was silence.

Draco froze.

_Oh no_

He dropped down to his knees and began to shake her desperately.

'Wake up! Come on Hermione wake up! Wake up!' Tears threatened to fall down but he pushed them back. He would not cry.

'Hermione come on! Please!'

'Please always work you know,' he heard her whisper groggily and he sighed in relief.

Hermione got up steadily and noticed that Draco's hands were still planted on her shoulders.

'I'm sorry,' he suddenly blurted out loud and she could see that he meant it but she didn't care.

'Sorry doesn't fix anything Malfoy. You should know that by now,' she said and shrugged his hands off her shoulders. She walked over to the fallen ingredient and picked it up, wincing as pain shot up her spine.

Draco looked at the back of Hermione's head and guilt entered his heart.

He walked forward but froze as she turned to face him again.

'Piss off Malfoy. I can do this on my own.'

Draco smirked.

'Fine,' he replied and walked towards the door.

'What? No-'

'What did you say Granger?' he asked her turning around and feigning surprise and incredulity.

'Nothing,' Hermione hastily said and returned to her work.

Draco's smirk grew and he walked forward confidently.

'I'm pretty sure that you want my genius brain to stay and so I will.'

Hermione laughed out loud and said: 'Just go get some mandrake liquid you dolt.'


	12. Chapter 12

Hi everyone,

Sorry about the wait, but I had my sc going on and so yeah

Anyway, I really don't want to post any more chapters up till I get more reviews so yeah – PLEASE COMMENT!!! :)

Anyway, cya!

Oh yeah - if u have any suggestions - please mention them!!! Thanks!


	13. Chapter 13

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* * *

**

Sorry about the long wait and all everyone - but here is the next chapter - if something doesn't make sense then please say so :)

**Anwayz, PLEASE REVIEW!!!**

**I _really _want to know what you guys think of this!**

**enjoy:)**

_Hermione,  
this is Greg and I am writing simply to congratulate you and Draco Malfoy on_

WHAT!!??  
'HERMIONE!!!' Ron yelled out in both fury and hate and he nearly roared out loud when he remembered that she was still working – with _Malfoy_.

* * *

Hermione closed the door behind her and when she turned around she was facing a fuming Ron.

'Ron?' she asked him timidly, slightly confused and wary.

'Hermione,' he said slowly and deliberately, and he watched as Hermione began to move uncertainly towards him, stretching her hand out, no doubt looking to console him but he shook his head angrily. He could not believe that she would actually try to comfort him after what she had done to him!

'Rom, what's wrong?' she whispered, confused at his anger and his shaking head.

'Your partner is Malfoy,' he whispered vehemently, 'and you NEVER told me!' he said, now yelling at her now drawn, pale face.

'Ron, you never asked me so I-'

* * *

He could not believe that she had just said those things and he lost control over his temper in that second.

'SO?! I have the right to know these things! Do you WANT me to be in ignorance?! All I want is for you to be happy!' he yelled out. 'That's all I ever asked from you – for you to be happy! And this is the way you pay me for all that I've done for you?! Hermione, I literally cannot live without you! How dare you not tell me where you are or with whom! I need to know these things! I need to know that you're safe!'

Hermione's tears were now falling down her white cheeks, glistening for mere seconds on her small chin before falling heavily to the ground, where no one saw them breaking into thousands upon thousands of pieces, spilling open Hermione's secrets for anyone who would care but Ron had no eyes for the tears. He wanted control.

'Hermione, I love you,' he said fiercely and Hermione looked up, eyes widening with shock – he had never said that to her for years.

'Please, just quit your job for me Hermione. You can get another one – I just need you with me – no one else.'

She opened her mouth to retort but in that small second he was there, wrapping his warm arms, firmly to her, pulling her into a hug with no escape.

And for a few moments Hermione did not want to leave – it was just like the old times and they had just conquered Voldemort. They were the 'it' couple – the two lovers with nothing to worry about, the lovers who would die for the other, who would sacrifice themselves for the other, do anything for the other to be happy.

_Happy_._ This was something that Hermione had never felt for ages – until Draco had come_.

She then began to unravel herself from her fiancée, getting faster and faster as she felt his resistance growing stronger and stronger by the minute.

'Ron! Let go!'

'No!' he replied roughly and he grabbed her face and began to kiss her passionately on the lips – well so he thought. To Hermione it was like kissing an octopus – it was all wet and…yucky.

Hermione,' he whispered raggedly in what he thought was a sexy voice but in truth was an out-of-breath-need-a-puffer-and-I'm-sick-but-I-don't-care voice.

'I love you,' he whispered in that same gross voice and he swore out loud as he felt her shiver with dread.

'What's wrong with you Hermione? Don't you love me?'

He watched, surprised and angry as she shook her head confidently.

But then he thought of a comeback and he watched with satisfaction as he watched her cry silently to the words – 'you like Malfoy don't you? Well, I'm sorry, but I've heard it from the man himself at work saying that he's just using you – that he only wanted to win this bet and-'

Hermione ran for it – she ran up the stairway and locked herself in their room, jumping down onto the bed face down, wetting its covers with her flood of tears.

She couldn't give a crap about Ron but was that true? That Draco was simply using her to… win?

A part of her refused to believe that Draco didn't love her but there was still the truth that Ron had never lied to her before and that if what he was saying was true then it would explain why Draco had acted as such towards her in the last few weeks.

* * *

Late at night a sob escaped Hermione's mouth but the man lying beside her did not hear this, absorbed as he was in his own happy dream.

But as Draco Malfoy slept in his muted mansion he felt his heart miss a beat which awoke him to the surrounding silence.

_Hermione_

* * *

Hermione went to work early that day, before Ron had even awoken – just in case he decided to stop her.

As she apparated into the clean room she nearly tripped over her feet as she saw that Draco was already there as well.

'Hermione,' he said, nodding his head as a hello.

'Draco,' she too nodded her head and she could tell that he could tell that something was wrong.

The second that she sat down he was there next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist, which she did not get rid of.

'Hermione, is there something wrong?'

She sighed heavily and simply stood up, beginning to pace around the room.

'Dra – Malfoy,' she corrected herself and she had her back turned to him so she did not see him flinch as she called him by his last name instead of his first.

'I think it's best if…' Here she faltered, unsure of what to say until he too got up and embraced her in his strong muscled arms.

'Hermione, before you say anything I'm just going to remind you that Weasley is-'

'Please refrain from calling Ron any names,' she muttered heavily but the next second she found herself being swivelled around, and then being an inch away from his swirling grey eyes…which contained blue?

'I never noticed that your eyes are blue,' she whispered heavily on his face but he shook his head, refusing to be deterred.

'Hermione, don't change the subject-'

'You've won Malfoy; you don't have to pretend anymore. I know. And it's okay. You won.'

Draco stared at Hermione in confusion for several seconds.

'What are you going on about woman?!' he demanded but he was suddenly facing an angry Hermione.

'STOP IT! I KNOW FOR-'

Draco cut her off there.

'Hermione!! What the hell are you -?'

Her cry was that of exasperation and hurt before it was quickly followed by a flood of words which were choked up by tears and sobs.

'RON TOLD ME… ABOUT THE BET… YOU MADE – THE… ONE WHERE YOU…. SIMPLY… USED… ME TO WIN – THAT… YOU WERE…LYING ABOUT… ALL THAT…STUFF…AND…I…ACTUALLY FELL FOR…IT! I…WAS … ACTUALLY…DUMB ENOUGH…TO FALL…IN…LOVE….WITH YOU! I HATE…YOU!! AND I…' Hermione's rambling was suddenly stopped by his lips which had captured hers and which were kissing her passionately.

Hermione pulled away after a while and the two stood with their foreheads touching while breathing in lungfuls of air.

'Don't…' Draco whispered haggardly. 'Ever… think… that I don't…love you Hermione.'

At those words Hermione pulled him into a hug and he buried his face into her thick, smooth, beautifully brown hair.

'And there was _never_ a bet Hermione! I would _never ever_ use you. I love you and I always will – you are a permanent resident in my heart and-'

He was cut off now by Hermione who pulled him towards her again.

* * *

HERMIONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm so sorry for the wait guys. I really, for a while there, ditched this story. But I dunno. I just passed this story on fanfic, while trying to find a story to read****, and I just felt like updating it. I wouldn't blame it if u guys have just given up on this like I had and I'm not expecting that many reviews, but if u haven't given up on this, I would really like to hear what you think of this chapter (and thanks for not giving up on it :D). It's totally different from the rest of the story though…I think. It's darker, I guess. And I'm going to try to stray away from a cliché story from now on. I want some depth in this so it's going to have an alternate ending to the one I had in store. **_**Anywayz**_**, I'm going to go now. R&R. Enjoy :P **

Draco awoke, beads of perspiration clinging to his built body. Shaking, he dragged his body away from his bed, across his shiny marbled floor and across to his balcony, that overlooked the entire Malfoy estate. He looked out at the darkened world and for a second, it seemed like the old days, when his father would beat his mother and when her screams echoed across the marbled mansion, waking up every single body with her piercing screams. In those nights he would cry to himself, he would cry because he was too weak to help her…too much of a coward to run across the hallway and launch himself at his father and kick him to an inch of his life.

Draco shook himself back to the present and noticed a new layer of perspiration on his forehead. He would _never_ be like his father and beat Hermione! Their previous day's conversation re-emerged from the depths of his mind and he winced at her hurt face. He would never do that to her again. He would never see that angelic face break because of something that he did (even though he hadn't done anything this time round).

* * *

Hermione was lying on her Queen sized bed, having kicked Ron to the couch. Once she had come home she'd realised that he had lied to her, not only on Draco using her, but also on having heard him say it. He hadn't even _seen _the man for 2 years now. He would've already told her from way before if he had, anyway, and yet this wasn't the only reason that she couldn't fall asleep. He (Draco) had said he loved her and she was afraid that if she fell asleep, she would awake from this dream. _He means it Hermione, why can't you see that? He loved you from the…ok, maybe not from the start, but for a while now_. She sighed in defeat and finally fell into blissful dreams where she spent her lifetime with Draco, and there was no Ron, there was no world, there was just the two of them, content with life.

* * *

Ron was awake, lying on the soft couch on the first floor. He was, to say the least, fuming. He just couldn't believe that Hermione would place Draco Malfoy over _him_, her fiancé, for crying out loud!! He'd have to get back at her some…._ahhhh…now_ that's_ a thought to think about_. And then, he too, fell asleep. Living in dreams where Hermione was all his…and he was in control.

* * *

'Hermione love, can I speak to you for a second?' I asked her before she left for work to _him_. She threw me a disbelieving face before finally sighing quietly and asking in her quite hideous voice, 'Yes, Ronald?' Huh. Fine! Let her be like that! I'll teach her soon enough! She'll have to call me Lord or…I shook my head away from my rambling and looked at _her_. 'Well, what is it?' I forced a small forced smile before continuing. 'Hermione, _love_, I can't do this anymore. You have to choose between us…' I faltered, allowing her feeble mind to take it in, before continuing. 'It's either you go _play_ with Malfoy, or you marry me Hermione. Your choice.' _Huh,_ _as if!_

She stared at me for a ridiculously long time before her hand flew to her left hand, slowly twisting the ring off her finger. All I saw was red. Simple, power hungry, red. 'DON'T YOU DARE, YOU SLUT!' I slapped her, hard and fast…maybe _that_ would teach her. Tears sprang to her eyes and a red mark was beginning to appear on her cheek. I laughed then at her shocked face and hit her again. Again and again and again, throwing some puches along the way. I laughed at her tears, delighting in her screams of protest. I liked this…VERY much.

She finally used that crap brain of hers and brought out her wand but I brought it out much faster than she had and was now holding it to her throat. 'You shouldn't have taught me those spells in Hogwarts Hermione. It was stupid of you,' my voice was rougher now, deeper…more menacing. I liked it. I placed a body binding spell on her thin form and pushed her roughly against the kitchen table. 'I want a snack,' I whispered and I smirked at her terrified eyes. I lowered myself to her and I took her.

* * *

**Hermione's POV**

My hands were shaking as I wrote I was sick on the clean and crisp paper. I made it sound as close to normal as I could and sent it with Pig to Draco, who was probably wondering where I was. Ron had left, and for this I was thankful. I wobbled to the bathroom and slipped into the bath tub, refusing to look in the mirror on the way to it. I would think of the rest later on. I let the hot water wash onto my broken self and thanked the pain that came with it. At least I wouldn't feel the other pain. The pain caused by the man that I had thought I once loved, and who was _supposed _to be caring. I opened my eyes and squinted at the light from the light globe. It was too…bright. I hesitantly got out, and switched it off, fumbling and falling before I made it back to the tub. I slipped in once again and turned the still running water off. I just lay there, letting it scald me for hours…and hours. And then I fell asleep.  
My mistake.


End file.
